Product transactions can occur via electronic commerce (“eCommerce”). Typically, eCommerce involves a user accessing a product website, browsing a set of available products, and then completing the product transaction by selecting a product and providing payment information. However, typically only a small number of users who access the product website complete the product transaction. One reason for a user to drop off the product website is his frustration or impatience with navigating a complex product website. Even users who do complete a product transaction on the product website may be bothered by a cumbersome product website such that the user does not return to the product website, thereby resulting in reduced repeat business.
Many product websites use discrete web pages to present users with information relating to the product transaction. Each of these discrete web pages may include different types of information, or may request different types of data from a user. For example, one website may present one web page with a list of available products to a user. Upon the user, selecting an available product, the website may then present the user with a second web page, which includes information relating to the selected product. If the user wants to examine a different product, the user must then traverse back to the first web page to see the list of available products again. Each web page can present a perceptible delay to the user as data that will reside on that page is ‘served’ from the backend. The user can experience a distinct “timeout” period as he progresses through the transaction when the previous page is discarded and a new one is loaded.
A second problem with current product websites is that it can be difficult to compare products. For most users, it can be challenging to remember the details of different products when comparing a large number of products.
Hence, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for performing a product transaction.